Method of automatically milking a dairy animal

ABSTRACT

A method of automatically milking a dairy animal by means of an automatic milking device is disclosed. The method may include successively the steps of: a) automatic connection of a first teat cup to a first teat of the dairy animal, and b) pushing away the first teat cup connected to the first teat. c) automatic connection of a second teat cup to a second teat of the dairy animal after the first teat cup has been connected to the first teat.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from Netherlands application number1023508 filed on 23 May 2003, the contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to a method of automatically milking adairy animal by means of an automatic milking device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Methods of automatic milking of dairy animals are known in which teatcups are automatically connected to the teats of the animal. Adisadvantage of such known methods is that it is possible that, when ateat cup is being connected to a first teat, a second teat is pushedagainst the udder of the dairy animal by the connected teat cup. In thatcase automatic connection of a teat cup to the teat that is pushedagainst the udder sometimes appears to be impossible. The known methodsmay further have the disadvantage that automatic connection of teat cupsto teats that are close to each other is difficult. In particularaccurate determination of the position of teats that are close to eachother is difficult.

Thus, there is a particular need for an automatic device and method bywhich the interference of teats with one another on milking a dairyanimal is avoided.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses these problems by providing a method ofautomatically milking a dairy animal, by means of an automatic milkingdevice provided with first and second teat cups, the method comprising:automatically connecting the first teat cup to a first teat of the dairyanimal; manipulating the first teat cup connected to the first teat bythe first teat cup; and automatic connection of the second teat cup tothe second teat of the dairy animal after the first teat cup has beenconnected to the first teat. By e.g. pushing away the first teat cupconnected to the first teat the distance between the first and thesecond teat becomes greater, so that the position determination of thesecond teat and the subsequent connection of a teat cup can take placemore accurately. Moreover, pushing away the first teat cup connected tothe first teat enables a second teat that is pushed against the udder ofa dairy animal by the first teat cup to come free from the udder, sothat the position determination of said teat and the subsequentconnection of a teat cup can take place accurately.

In an embodiment of a method according to the invention the position ofthe first and the second teat is measured prior to attaching the firstteat cup. In particular the distance between the first and the secondteat is measured. The measured distance is preferably compared with athreshold distance and manipulation is performed only if the measureddistance is equal to or smaller than the threshold distance.

For an accurate connection of the second teat cup to the second teat itis advantageous if the method further comprises determining the positionof the second teat, in particular prior to connecting the second teatcup and after manipulating the first teat cup.

For the purpose of accurately manipulating the first teat cup, anembodiment of the method according to the invention comprises the stepof determining the position of the first teat cup connected to the firstteat.

Manipulating a teat cup connected to a teat is preferably performed by afirst robot arm belonging to the automatic milking device, on whichrobot arm a first position-determining device is disposed, which firstposition-determining device is suitable for determining the position ofa teat and/or a teat cup. Pushing away the first teat cup connected tothe first teat is preferably performed by the first robot arm.

In an embodiment of a method according to the invention, automaticconnection of a teat cup to a teat of the dairy animal is performed by asecond robot arm belonging to the device for automatically milking adairy animal, which second robot arm is suitable for carrying at leasttemporarily a teat cup. The step of determining the position of a teatand/or a teat cup is preferably performed by a secondposition-determining device that is disposed on the second robot arm.

Although the method according to the invention may be carried out byusing two different robot arms, it is advantageous for economicalreasons if for the first and the second robot arm a single robot arm isused. Although the method according to the invention may be carried outby using two different position-determining devices, it is advantageousfor economical reasons if for the first and the secondposition-determining device a single position-determining device isused.

Manipulating or pushing away the first teat cup connected to the firstteat is performed in an advantageous manner by a second teat cup carriedby the second robot arm.

In a favourable embodiment of a method according to the invention thefirst teat cup is pushed away substantially in a direction away from thesecond teat.

The invention also relates to a method of automatically milking a dairyanimal having a first teat and at least one further teat by means of anautomatic milking device, the method comprising automatically pushingthe further teat or teats away from the first teat and connecting a teatcup to the first teat.

Another aspect of the invention comprises an automatic milking devicefor automatically milking a dairy animal having a first teat and atleast one further teat, the automatic milking device comprising: atleast one teat cup; a robot arm for connecting the teat cup to the firstteat; and means for preventing interference of the further teat with theteat cup during the connection of the first teat.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the milking device mayalso comprise a detector for detecting a variable indicative ofinterference between the first teat and the further teat. The variablemay be for instance the relative positions of the teats or the distancebetween them, either prior to or after connection of the first teat cup.It may also be a signal indicating an absence of the further teat shouldthis have become trapped by the teat cup or it may also be a signalindicating failure to connect automatically a further teat cup to thefurther teat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of a method according to the invention will be describedhereinafter by way of example only with reference to the drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 shows a second teat that is pushed against the udder of an animalby a first teat cup connected to a first teat;

FIG. 2 shows the first teat cup connected to the first teat being pushedaway by a second teat cup;

FIG. 3 shows the connection of the second teat cup to the second teat;and

FIG. 4 shows the situation in which the second teat cup is connected tothe second teat.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The invention will be described hereinafter with reference to pushingaway a first teat cup connected to a first teat, so that the first teatis automatically pushed away as well. However, it will be obvious thatthe invention can also be applied when the first teat is pushed awayitself, in particular if the first and the second teat are close to eachother. The invention is also described with reference to the embodimentin which pushing away is caused by a second teat cup carried by a robotarm, which second teat cup pushes away the connected first teat cup.However, it will be obvious that the first teat cup can also be pushedaway by the robot arm without the latter carrying a further teat cup.The invention will further be described with reference to the embodimentin which for pushing away the first teat cup the robot arm is used thatis also used for connecting the teat cups to the teats. However, it willbe obvious that the invention can also applied to a separate robot armor similar device for pushing away the teat. Furthermore, althoughreference is made to “pushing away” it will be understood that this isintended to encompass other forms of manipulation including pulling,knocking, waggling etc. according to the required direction of movementto e.g. release a trapped teat.

FIG. 1 shows a part of a device for automatically connecting a teat cupto a teat of a dairy animal. The device comprises a robot arm 1 forconnecting a first teat cup 2 to a first teat 4 and for connecting asecond teat cup 3 to a second teat 5. There is disposed aposition-determining device 6 on the robot arm 1 for detecting theposition of a teat and for detecting the position of a teat cup. It willbe obvious that in another embodiment of the method according to theinvention two different position-determining devices can be used.

In the situation shown in FIG. 1 the first teat cup 2 has been connectedto the first teat after the position of the first teat has beendetermined. By the connection of the first teat cup 2 to the first teat4 the second teat 5 has been pushed against the udder 7 of the dairyanimal. Owing to this the connection of the second teat cup 3 to thesecond teat 5 is impeded, not only because the position of the secondteat is difficult to determine but also because the second teat is notfreely accessible.

For the purpose of connecting the second teat cup 3 to the second teat 5the robot arm 1 is moved in such a way that the second teat cup 3carried by the robot arm 1 will touch the first teat cup 2 that isconnected to the first teat 4 and will push it away, so that the secondteat will come free from the udder 7, as shown in FIG. 2. The robot armcan be controlled in such a way that the second teat cup is moved to themeasured position of the first teat, so that the second teat cup willpush against the first teat cup. Then, with the aid of data from theposition-determining device, the second teat cup 3 is moved to such aposition relative to the second teat 5 that connection by upward motionis possible (see FIG. 3). In the case that the teats are close to eachother it is possible that at the connection of the second teat cup thelatter remains in abutment with the first teat cup.

After the connection of the second teat cup 3 to the second teat 5 (asshown in FIG. 4) the milking of the quarter belonging to the second teat5 can be started.

Pushing away a teat can be performed as a standard procedure for theconnection of all the teat cups, it also being possible according to theinvention to push against the relevant teat prior to the connection ofthe first teat cup. It is pointed out here that the relevant teat and/orone of the other teats can be pushed away. Alternatively it is possibleto perform pushing away a teat only if the position-determining devicedetects that a teat is pushed against the udder of a dairy animal. It isalso possible to perform pushing away a teat cup and/or a teat only ifthe position-determining device or another distance-measuring devicesuitable for the purpose has measured a distance between the first andthe second teat that is equal to or smaller than a, preferablypredetermined, threshold distance. To this end the measured distance iscompared with the threshold distance. Besides, by means ofpre-programming it is possible to perform pushing away only forparticular dairy animals. To this end the method must comprise the stepof identifying a dairy animal, and the step of comparing the detectedidentity with predetermined identities for which pushing away of teatsshould be performed. The latter is of importance with dairy animals thatare known to have teats that are relatively close to each other. It isalso possible to use data in relation to lactation stage and fillingdegree of the udder when determining whether pushing away a teat cupand/or a teat should be performed, because the distance between teatsappears to depend on the lactation stage and/or the filling degree ofthe udder.

Many modifications in addition to those described above may be made tothe structures and techniques described herein without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, although specificembodiments have been described, these are examples only and are notlimiting upon the scope of the invention.

1. A method of automatically milking a dairy animal by means of anautomatic milking device provided with first and second teat cups, themethod comprising successively: automatically connecting a first teatcup to a first teat of the dairy animal; manipulating the first teat cupconnected to the first teat to reduce interference with a second teat ofthe dairy animal; and automatically connecting a second teat cup to thesecond teat.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein prior toconnecting the first teat cup, the positions of the first and the secondteat are measured.
 3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein prior toconnecting the first teat cup, the distance between the first and thesecond teat is measured.
 4. The method as claimed in claim 3, whereinthe measured distance is compared with a threshold distance and in thatthe first teat cup is manipulated only if the measured distance is equalto or smaller than the threshold distance.
 5. The method as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising determining the position of the second teatprior to connecting the second teat cup and after manipulating the firstteat cup.
 6. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising thestep of determining the position of the first teat cup connected to thefirst teat.
 7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein manipulation ofa teat cup connected to a teat is performed by a robot arm belonging tothe automatic milking device, on which robot arm a firstposition-determining device is disposed, the first position-determiningdevice being suitable for determining the position of a teat or a teatcup.
 8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the manipulation ofthe first teat cup connected to the first teat is performed by the robotarm.
 9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein automatic connectionof a teat cup to a teat of the dairy animal is performed by a robot armbelonging to the automatic milking device, the robot arm being suitablefor at least temporarily carrying a teat cup.
 10. The method as claimedin claim 7, wherein automatic connection of a teat cup to a teat of thedairy animal is performed by a second robot arm belonging to theautomatic milking device, the second robot arm being suitable for atleast temporarily carrying a teat cup and wherein the position of a teator a teat cup is determined by a second position-determining device thatis disposed on the second robot arm.
 11. The method as claimed in claim1, wherein connecting and manipulating the teat cups is performed by asingle robot arm.
 12. The method as claimed in claim 2, furthercomprising determining the position of the second teat prior toconnecting the second teat cup and after manipulating the first teat cupand wherein for determining the positions of the teats a singleposition-determining device is used.
 13. The method as claimed in claim10, wherein the manipulation of the first teat cup connected to thefirst teat is performed by a second teat cup carried by the second robotarm.
 14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein during manipulationthe first teat cup is pushed away substantially in a direction away fromthe second teat.
 15. A method of automatically milking a dairy animalhaving a first teat and at least one further teat, by means of anautomatic milking device, the method comprising: automatically pushingthe further teat or teats away from the first teat; and connecting ateat cup to the first teat.
 16. The method according to claim 15,further comprising detecting a signal indicative of a possible trappedteat and pushing away the further teat in response to the signal.
 17. Anautomatic milking device for automatically milking a dairy animal havinga first teat and at least one further teat, the automatic milking devicecomprising: a first teat cup; at least one further teat cup; a robot armfor connecting the first teat cup to the first teat; and means forpreventing interference of the further teat cup with the first teatduring the connection of the first teat.
 18. The automatic milkingdevice according to claim 17, wherein the means for preventinginterference comprises a control device for manipulating the furtherteat cup to prevent entrapment of the first teat.
 19. The automaticmilking device according to claim 17, wherein the means for preventinginterference comprises a robot arm for separating the first teat and thefurther teat.
 20. The automatic milking device according to claim 17,further comprising a detector for detecting a variable indicative ofpossible interference.
 21. The automatic milking device according toclaim 20, wherein the means for preventing interference is activated toprevent interference when the variable indicative of possibleinterference exceeds a predetermined value.